| Name
|
Location
|
County
|
Region
|
Summary
|
| Anderson Conservation Area |
Red Oak |
Montgomery |
Southwest |
website, operated by the City of Red Oak, 244 acres, 2 miles of trails, 15 acre pond, includes Wolfe Nature Center with environmental education displays and a meeting room
|
| Annett Nature Center |
Indianola |
Warren |
South Central |
website, 160 acres, operated by the Warren County Conservation Board
|
| Appanoose County Conservation Board Nature Center |
Centerville |
Appanoose |
South Central |
Operated by the County in 144-acre Sharon Bluffs State Park[1]
|
| Bailey's Ford Park |
Manchester |
Delaware |
Northeast |
website, 105 acres, includes a nature center, operated by the Delaware County Conservation Board
|
| Benton County Nature Center |
Vinton |
Benton |
Southeast |
website, operated by the Benton County Conservation Board in 187-acre Rogers Park
|
| Calkins Nature Area |
Iowa Falls |
Hardin |
North Central |
website, 76 acres, operated by Hardin County Conservation, includes the Calkins Interpretive Center with Native American and natural history artifacts
|
| Conard Environmental Research Area |
Kellogg |
Jasper |
South Central |
Operated by Grinnell College, 365-acre facility for class use in the study of ecology and student and faculty research, summer camp
|
| DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge |
Missouri Valley |
Harrison |
Western |
8,362-acre refuge (46% in Iowa, 54% in Nebraska), visitor center exhibits, education programs
|
| Dickinson County Nature Center |
Okoboji |
Dickinson |
Northwest |
website, operated by the Dickinson County Conservation Board, located in 60-acre Kenue Park
|
| Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center |
Sioux City |
Woodbury |
Northwest |
Located in Stone State Park, managed by the Woodbury County Conservation Board, features interactive prairie, wetland & woodland exhibits, live native animals, bird viewing area, butterfly and wildflower gardens
|
| E.B. Lyons Nature Center |
Dubuque |
Dubuque |
Northeast |
Located in the 1380-acre Mines of Spain Recreation Area, exhibits on the history and features of the park, bird and butterfly garden, native prairies, woodland flower gardens, hiking trails, historic Junkerman farm site
|
| Eden Valley Nature Center |
Baldwin |
Jackson |
Northwest |
website, located in 201-acre Eden Valley Refuge, includes live snakes, a wildlife diorama, rock collection and taxidermy displays
|
| Fontana Interpretive Nature Center |
Hazleton |
Buchanan |
Northwest |
website, operated by the Buchanan County Conservation Board in 134-acre Fontana Park, includes nature exhibits, outdoor live native wildlife on display
|
| Fossil & Prairie Center |
Rockford |
Floyd |
North Central |
website, operated by the Fossil & Prairie Conservation Foundation, center open seasonally, park open year-round, fossils can be found in the former quarry site
|
| Gilbertson Conservation Education Area |
Elgin |
Fayette |
Northeast |
website, includes the Gilbertson Nature Center, 345 acre park, petting zoo, late 19th century period farm house, farm tool and antiques displays
|
| Grimes Farm |
Marshalltown |
Marshall |
South Central |
website, over 160 acres, operated by the Friends of Grimes Farm
|
| Hartman Reserve Nature Center |
Cedar Falls |
Black Hawk |
Northeast |
300 acre reserve, over 6 miles of trails, an entity of the Black Hawk County Conservation Board
|
| Heery Woods Nature Center |
Clarksville |
Butler |
North Central |
website, operated by the Butler County Conservation Board, exhibits on area natural and cultural history
|
| Hitchcock Nature Center |
Honey Creek |
Pottawattamie |
Southwest |
website, operated by the Pottawattamie County Conservation Board, located on 1,268 acres
|
| Hurstville Interpretive Center |
Maquoketa |
Jackson |
Northeast |
website, operated by Jackson County Conservation, features restored prairie and 18 acre wetland, wetland and prairie dioramas, exhibits about Iowa's mussels, rocks, endangered species, birds of prey and migrating songbirds
|
| Indian Creek Nature Center |
Cedar Rapids |
Linn |
Southeast |
website, Iowa's only private nature center with over 290 acres, 4 miles of trails, year round public and private educational programs, and sustainable living exhibits. Home of a Nature Explore certified outdoor classroom, titled "Sense of Wonder Trail"
|
| Jefferson County Park |
Fairfield |
Jefferson |
Southeast |
website, operated by the Jefferson County Conservation Board, 190 acres, nature center displays include Indian artifacts, Iowa mammals fur collection, a 150-gallon fish aquarium and a turtle tank
|
| Johnson County Conservation Education Center |
Tiffin |
Johnson |
Southeast |
website, operated by the Johnson County Conservation Department in 1,082-acre F.W. Kent Park, 27-acre lake
|
| Jones County Nature Center |
Center Junction |
Jones |
Northwest |
website, located in 217-acre Central Park
|
| Kennedy Park Reception & Nature Center |
Fort Dodge |
Webster |
North Central |
website, located in 400-acre John F. Kennedy Memorial Park, operated by the Webster County Conservation Board
|
| Kuehn Conservation Area |
Earlham |
Dallas |
South Central |
Operated by the Dallas County Conservation Board, 600 acre preserve, includes Bear Creek Nature Center, open by appointment
|
| Lake Meyer Nature Center |
Fort Atkinson |
Winneshiek |
Northeast |
website, operated by the Winneshiek County Conservation Board, adjacent to 160-acre Lake Meyer Park
|
| Lime Creek Nature Center |
Mason City |
Cerro Gordo |
North Central |
website, partnered with the Cerro Gordo County Conservation Board, includes live animals
|
| Lost Island Nature Center |
Ruthven |
Palo Alto |
Northwest |
website, operated by the Palo Alto County Conservation Board on 1,200-acre Lost Island Lake
|
| Macbride Nature Recreation Area |
Solon |
Johnson |
Southeast |
website, 485 acres, operated by the University of Iowa, includes the School of the Wild, Wildlife Camps, and Macbride Raptor Project
|
| Mahaska County Conservation Center |
New Sharon |
Mahaska |
South Central |
website, operated by the Mahaska County Conservation Board, located at the 220-acre Russell Wildlife Area, features live animal displays, hands-on activities, interactive dioramas of Iowa's forest, prairie, and wetland ecosystems, fossils
|
| Mitchell County Conservation Nature Center |
Osage |
Mitchell |
North Central |
website, operated by the Mitchell County Conservation Board in the L.R. Falk Wildlife Area, over 250 acres
|
| Muscatine County Environmental Learning Center |
Muscatine |
Muscatine |
Southeast |
website, operated by the Muscatine County Conservation Board in the 85-acre Discovery Park, includes live animals, interactive natural history exhibits, outdoor live raptor enclosure
|
| Nature Encounter Center at Willow Lake Recreation Area |
Woodbine |
Harrison |
Southwest |
website, operated by the Harrison County Conservation Board, 220 acres
|
| Neal Moeller Environmental Education Center |
Denison |
Crawford |
Southwest |
website, operated by the Crawford County Conservation Board at 359-acre Yellow Smoke Park
|
| Oakland Mills Nature Center |
Mt. Pleasant |
Henry |
Southeast |
website, operated by the Henry County Conservation Board in Oakland Mills County Park, includes outdoor displays of live native wildlife
|
| Osborne Visitor, Welcome and Nature Center |
Elkader |
Clayton |
Northeast |
website, operated by the Clayton County Conservation Board in Osborne Park, features over 200 acres, historic 2 ½ story hotel, blacksmith shop, general store, grain elevator and railroad depot
|
| Pioneer Ridge Nature Area |
Ottumwa |
Wapello |
Southeast |
website, 995 acres, operated by the Wapello County Conservation Board
|
| Pocahontas County Conservation Board Nature Center |
Pocahontas |
Pocahontas |
Northwest |
website, operated by the Pocahontas County Conservation Board
|
| Prairie Learning Center |
Prairie City |
Jasper |
South Central |
Museum and education center for the 8,654-acre Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge
|
| Prairie's Edge Nature Center |
Cresco |
Howard |
Northeast |
information, operated by Howard County Conservation, includes live animals
|
| Soaring Eagles Nature Center |
Clinton |
Clinton |
Southeast |
website, over 2 miles of trails, restored prairie area, one room schoolhouse, located in a 1938 barn, exhibits about the land’s homesteading history and natural history
|
| South Bluff Nature Center - Bellevue State Park |
Bellevue |
Jackson |
Northeast |
Displays on the plants, animals and geology of 770-acre Bellevue State Park
|
| Starr's Cave Nature Center |
Burlington |
Des Moines |
Southeast |
website, operated by Des Moines County Conservation in 184-acre Starr's Cave Park and Preserve
|
| Story County Conservation Center |
Ames |
Story |
South Central |
website, located in 200-acre McFarland Park
|
| Swiss Valley Preserve Center |
Peosta |
Dubuque |
Northeast |
website, 476 acres, operated by the Dubuque County Conservation Board
|
| Tama County Nature Center |
Toledo |
Tama |
South Central |
website, operated by Tama County Conservation in 277-acre Otter Creek Lake and Park
|
| Voas Nature Area & Museum |
Minburn |
Dallas |
South Central |
website, operated by the Dallas County Conservation Board, 372 acre park, exhibits of rocks, fossils, and minerals across the United States and around the world
|
| Wapsi River Environmental Education Center |
Dixon |
Scott |
Southeast |
website, 225 acres, managed and operated by Scott County Conservation with programming assistance from Clinton County Conservation
|
| Washington County Conservation Education Center |
Ainsworth |
Washington |
Southeast |
website, operated by the Washington County Conservation Board in 125-acre Marr Park
|
| Water’s Edge Nature Center |
Algona |
Kossuth |
North Central |
website, 124 acres, operated by the Kossuth County Conservation Board on 54-acre Smith's Lake, includes aquariums
|
| Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center |
Toddville |
Linn |
Northeast |
website, operated by the Linn County Conservation Board in the 790-acre Wickiup Hill Natural Area
|
| Wildwood Nature Center |
Fayette |
Fayette |
Northeast |
website, operated by the Fayette County Conservation Board, 7 acres, features live Iowa mammals and birds of prey, nature displays and mounted native animals and birds
|
